Charity Auction for St Vincents

The Kilcullen group of friends of St Vincents at the Easter Party they organised last year.

The annual Charity Auction for St Vincents Hospital in Athy is being held on Sunday April 13 at 2.15pm, in the Athy GAA Clubhouse.

The money raised on the day goes to fund a variety of social programmes for the residents throughout the year which the hospital could not otherwise afford to provide.

"This programme organised by the Therapeutic Recreation Activities Department (TRAD) includes regular parties and concerts, arts and crafts, gardening, music and movie events and daily bingo with scratch card prizes," says Director of Nursing at St Vincents Helen Dreelan. "It also funds the annual visit from Santa with an individual gift for each patient."

The event needs donations of items for the Auction and also needs people to come and buy on the day. It's always a fun event, but the fun and enhancement of quality of life that the residents in St Vincents get from the programme the money allows is even more.

St Vincents has long been special to Kilcullen because there have always been a number of our local people cared for there when they can no longer look after themselves. And our own Josie Connolly and her 'gang' organise an annual special party themselves for everybody in the facility.

Donations of good quality, new or nearly new items, gift vouchers, hampers, bottles of wine/spirits or cash donations are all welcome. For further information please contact Leon Kenny​ 059 8631785, Maurice Flinter​ 087 6560948, Helen Dreelan​ 087 1218263, Patricia Kelly 059 8638216 or the TRAD Staff 059 8643000.

Items can also be left in the Athy GAA Clubhouse on Friday ​April 11, 6-9pm; and ​Saturday ​April 12, 10-1 pm.

Reminder: Coffee Morning tomorrow

Just a reminder that the Coffee Morning tomorrow in aid of the Oblates Pilgrimage to Lourdes begins at 11am in the Heritage centre.

Miriam McDonnell of Curragh Lawns is the Nursing Director of the Pilgrimage, which travels on September 17 every year. A number of local people usually travel as helpers also, at their own expense. There are also several elderly or unwell pilgrims from the locality who take part.

The Coffee Morning begins at 11am, and the organisers promise coffee, cake and chat in good company. And if anyone wants to contribute their own cakes and scones to the event, they'd be very welcome.

Date set for Miscellany Sunday

The annual Miscellany on Sunday hosted by the Bermingham family at Mooretown will take place this year on Sunday 27 November, writes Brian Byrne.

The event brings together local entertainers and visitors from all across the community and is organised by the Friends of Michael Garry House Hostel for Homeless People in Newbridge.

It has been held most years since 2000.

"The event is neither choreographed nor staged; it just happens," says Roy Thompson, one of the organising group. "It is more 'rambling house' than 'coffee morning' and is reminiscent of how people used to socialise—by gathering in the homes of friends and neighbours sharing stories, making music, dancing (mind the dresser!) and breaking bread together."

More details closer to the day.


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Last day for Vintage Drive sponsor cards

Today is the final return date for sponsorship cards relating to the very successful 2011 Mac & Norman's Vintage Rally.

“I just can’t believe that people are still able to be so generous, given the times that are in it," says organiser Ann Sully of Kennycourt, who is once again fulsome in her praise of all those who supported the latest run.

“We had 316 vehicles taking part, and that was similar to last year, and on the Monday afterwards we lodged over €10,000 to the account for the Irish Cancer Society.”

Ann is now confident that the final tally this year will bring the total raised for the charity to over €285,000 since the drive was inaugurated.

“And we couldn’t have done it at all without the usual local people who helped me organise the event. They just came from everywhere, asking could they help in any way, and there are far too many to thank individually.”

The 2011 event was the ninth one since the idea was proposed by Mac Sully and neighbour Norman Eagar.

The 9th Vintage Drive

Views from Mac & Norman's Vintage Rally 2011, in aid of the Irish Cancer Society.

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Coffee and chat for Fr Dan's Tanzanian mission

We may be in the depths of the worst recession in our nation's history, but there are still people with much less than us.

A politics-free coffee and chat about this will take place on Saturday 19 February, 12 noon sharp, in Kilcullen Town Hall.

There’s no charge, but donations to the cost of sending a container of aid to Fr Dan Noud’s mission in Tanzania will be gratefully accepted. Illustrations of his work over almost half a century will be displayed.

Alan Dukes will speak on the topic ‘We’re broke, so can we continue to help those in the developing world?’.

The event will last for just an hour or so. It is being organised by TOIL, a group of local people who have supported Fr Dan’s efforts for more than 25 years.

Everyone welcome.

Fundraiser for VdeP

Kilcullen Juvenile Badminton Club is hosting a 'Christmas Fare' fundraiser on December 11 in aid of the St Vincent de Paul Society.

The event begins at 11am and will run until 2pm, at Kilcullen Community Centre.

On sale will be books, bric a brac, cakes, mince pies and tea & coffee. There will also be face painting and a raffle.

All funds raised will go to the local branch of St VdeP. The charity needs help more than ever this year because of the economic circumstances. Please help all you can.

Lions Wine Tasting on Thursday

Kilcullen Lions Club is hosting a Wine Tasting Evening in The Good Food Gallery on Thursday 18 November at 8.30pm.

The event is in aid of local charities. All support welcome.

Table Quiz for Crumlin Hospital

A Table Quiz in aid of Crumlin Childrens Hospital will be held in Bardons on Wednesday 24 September.

The time is 8.30pm and a table of four costs €40.

Contact Eddie on 087 2228730.

Open Garden raises €1,400

The recent weekend Open Garden organised by Francis and Mary Shortt raised more than €1,400 from supporters for the KARE organisation.

Maintain Hope fundraisers abound

A Cake Sale will be held in Kilcullen Parish Centre on Sunday 4 April in aid of funds for the ‘Operation Maintain Hope’ initiative in Kenya.

The event is one of a series being run for the operation, which involves local people going out in August to help with a building project.

Another on Monday next, March 29, is a Table Quiz in Bardons organised by Lorraine Schwer. And a concert by ‘The Moon & Sixpence’ on 10 April will also help top up Lorraine’s fundraising.

Another mini marathon call

The Punchestown Kidney Research Fund needs ladies to participate in The Flora Women's Mini Marathon on June 7th in Dublin.

This may be the motivation you need to get started after the long hard winter. Let us go forward into spring with optimism and resolve. Join us. If you are new to the area this a perfect way to meet people.

Over the past five years we had lots of fun and enjoyment. If you have never done the mini marathon before, do it this year. You will experience a wonderful feeling of belonging to a group exceeding 40,000 women of all ages, backgrounds, levels of fitness but all there for a good reason. Generosity, fun,and kindness fills the atmosphere.

Your chance to experience all that and more is at hand. We need runners, joggers and walkers. Contact Phena Bermingham 045-485232 or 087-9767531 or Caroline Dempsey 087-2562563.

Phena Bermingham.

Table Quiz tonight

Bardon's Golf Society are holding their annual table quiz tonight. All welcome.

Playground fund grows

Monday night's Table Quiz fundraiser in The Hideout for the Playground Fund was very successful, with €1,800 raised.

The well-supported event followed another successful initiative for the cause, the weekend Bag Fill held in Tesco, which raised €1,600.

The Community Playground Project will cost €250,000, a fifth of which must be raised by the community.

Money presented to PKRF

Money presentations €18,515 were made last week from two fundraising occasions to James Nolan, founder of the Punchestown Kidney Research Fund.



They were the proceeds of the PKRF participants in the Flora Womens Mini Marathon earlier this year, and from local man Kevin Talbot’s run in the recent Dublin City Marathon. Kevin is the son of Jim and Margaret Talbot.

The money is being used to pay for training machines for home dialysis, according to James, who is himself a kidney transplant recipient and works tirelessly for organ transplant and for dialysis patients.

Great response to 'Miscellany'

More than €2,600 was collected this afternoon in donations at the 'Miscellany' held at Berminghams in aid of the Michael Garry House hostel for the homeless.

Over 300 people attended, and according to Phena Bermingham the entertainment talent was 'awesome'.

Unfortunately the Diary was unable to attend, but there will be a full report later.

Remember next Sunday

Just a reminder that next weekend is the ‘Miscellany on Sunday’ fundraising event hosted by Tom and Phena Bermingham at their home in Mooretown on the Athy Road.

The event raises funds for the Michael Garry House hostel for the homeless, in Newbridge, and has been run since 2000.

All entertainment is provided by local people and includes drama, music, poetry and just general plain chat. Among the latest to sign up to entertain is Kilcullen's pastoral worker Hannah Evans, a lovely singer.

There is no entry fee but donations can be given in a box by the door. It starts at 2.30pm on Sunday 6 December and continues until everybody has gone home.